The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-02-18
how gentle. how good YOU have leen

how gentle. how good you have sSeen
to my father and me-.
She spoke in SO low voice that it
was impossible for any one to hear her
but myself: and SO greatly did her
words affect mel, who had now
learned to love her. who could indeed
have died hundred-fOld over for her
dear sake-that for moment l dared
not trust myself to speak.
IQuickly recovered myself, and said,
forcing a laugh:
"YOu are as bad mutineer as the
others. But as you will not obey ME.
l must obey YOU"
And looking at the ponderous bank
Of cloud in the northwest, of which the
gathering brightness and intensity OF
the lightning was illustrating its steady
approach, l exclaimed:
''Are We strong enough to turn to,
mates?"
I'VE can douse that top-gallant sail.
dare say" answered the boatswain.
up on your pins. steward
And we trooped along to the main
deck!
The spell of rest and perhaps The
grog. not to mention the tobacco, had
done us no harm. The three of us
went aloft, carrying the jigger with us.
which we left in the main-top. and
furled the top-gallant sail, if not in
man. of-war fashion and with n proper
harbor bunt, at all events very Sc
curely.
But the main-top sail was another
matter. All three of us had to lay ont
to windward to haul tauttpne earring;
then skim along to the os.er end of the
yard to the other earring; and SO up
and down, and still more reef-points
and still more earrings, until my legs
and fingers ache.l.
This job over. we rested ourselves in
the main-top, and then got upon the
main-yard, and made shift to pass the
yard-arm gaskets round the sail, and
stow it after fashion, though l had
no doubt that the first gale of wind
that struck it would blow it clear OF its
lashlngs in a minute.
Then on deck again with the MAIN
top-sail halyards to the capstan: and
the dawn found the ship under the
three close-reefed top-sails. fore-sail and
foretop-mast staysail. the whole of the
other canvas having been recfed and
slowed by three WORKOUT men, each of
whom had endured hardships enough
to send any one except an English
sailor to his hammock for week.
CHAPTER XX.
Our next JOB WAS to man the port
l,.,n h,.sn hn. hi, "a a for ~
course. But before we went to this
work the boatSwain and ! stood for
some minutes looking at the appear
ance of the sky.
The range of cloud, which had been
but low-lying and apparently fugi-
tive bank in the northwest at mid
night, was now so far advanced rs to
project nearly over our heads; and
what rendered its aspect more sinister
was the steely color of the sky, which
il ruled with line, here and there
rugged, but for the most part singu-
larry even. right from the confines of
southwestern horizon. All the central
portion of this vast surface of cloud
was of livid hue, which, by 4 decap-
ton of he eye made it appear con-
vcx; and at frequent intervals a sharp
shower of arrOwy lightning whizzed
from that portion of it farthest away
from us; but rs yet we could hear no
thunder.
The approaching tempest had taken
all night to climb the horizon, but
was not to be deceived by its slow
progress into believing there was no
wind in it. knew from its appear
ance that it would bring with it !, ire
mendous gale and that there would be
nothing to do but to run before l..
This would bring us well into the mid
Atlantic and l wished we We're more TO
the northward of the Bcrmudas. How
ever. all we could do WAS to make the
ship as snug as possible. sent the
boa;swain below TO look at those plugs
he put in the holes bored by the carpen-
ter.
Having braced up the yards and
stcadied the helm, we could do no
more; and, resolving To profit Is much
rs possible from the interval of rest be-
fore us. directed Cornish to take tho
wheel. and ordered the steward to 90
forward and light the galley fire and
boil some coffee for breakfast.
then told Miss Robertson that there
was nothing now to dctain her on deck,
and thanked her for the great services
she had rendered us.
How well | remembered her rs she
stood near the wheel. wearing my straw
hat. her dress hitched up to allow free
dom to her movements; her small
hands with the delicate blue veins
glowing through the white. clear skin,
her yellow hair Topped up, thong with
many a tress straying Ike an amber
colored feather; her marble face, her
lips pale with fatigue, her beautiful
blue eyes fired ever with the same
brave spirit though dim with the
WEAKNESS of long and painful watch
ing. and the oppressive and numbing
sense of ever-prescnt danger!
On no persuasion would l allow her
to remain longer on deck and although
she begged to stay ! took her hand
firmly and led her to her cabin door.
She promised to lie down and try to
sleep. kissed her hand and held open
the cabin door for her to enter, and
then returned on deck.
A most extraordinary sight salutcd
me when l reached the poop.
The sun had risen behind the vast
embankment of cloud. and its glorious
rays, the orb itself being invisible. pro-
jected in thousand lines OF silver be-
yond the margin of the bank t. the
right and overhead. jutting out in visi-
bic threads. each rs defined as a sun
-,